Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains Announces 2026 Congressional Run Against Rep. David Valadao

“Our Congressman David Valadao, just voted for the largest cut to health care in history, to give tax breaks to billionaires and Wall Street, even after he admitted this bill threatens access to care and Jeopardizes our hospitals, Valadao the followed the party line. Really Dude?

“I’m a doctor, not a career politician — and I’ve spent my life on the frontlines, listening to Valley families and fighting for their health, their safety, and their future. I’m running for Congress because our communities deserve better than broken promises and backroom deals, and my community is tired of getting left behind. We deserve a representative who will actually show up, and stand up, for the Valley.

“This is a doctor taking her oath to the highest level. I never signed up for this job in the Assembly to be a career politician. I am staying true to who I said I was from day one. This is about a doctor taking her oath to protect her community.”

Republicans swiftly came to Valadao’s defense and criticized her decision to run for the Bakersfield/Visalia area district, calling her stances too extreme and that her ideals clashed with those of the Central Valley.

“Radical Democrat Jasmeet Bains will never represent the values of the Central Valley with her extreme record that sells out hardworking California families,” said National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Spokesman Christian Martinez. “She’s more focused on handing out taxpayer-funded home loans, welfare, and free healthcare to illegal immigrants than defending the very Californians footing the bill. Californians deserve better than a radical activist masquerading as their representative.”

Valadao-Bains

For Valadao, a Congressman from 2013-2019 and from 2021 to present in the Central Valley, the last 3 elections since he took back his seat in 2020 have been extraordinarily close. In 2020 he defeated then Congressman T.J. Cox by less than 2,000 votes, winning 85,373 to to 83,619, or 50.4% to 49.6%. Then Assemblyman Rudy Salas challenged him next in 2022 where Valadao won by another narrow result, 52,472 to 49,196, or 51.6% to 48.4%. Salas tried again last year, leading to Valadao’s best post-return result of 89,484 to 78,023, or 53.4% to 46.6%. The last result was despite Valadao’s campaign raising around $5 million against Salas’ $6.5 million.

Despite Valadao gaining ground, the district still remains a major toss-up. With Salas out in 2026, Bains enters as the Democrats best shot in the district. Originally a physician, Bains first got her feet wet in politics through several state appointments. Most notably, she was appointed to the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission by California Governor Jerry Brown. First elected to the Assembly in 2022  in the Northern Bakersfield/Kern County 35th District, Bains has had her two terms defined by her pushes for environmental and healthcare legislation. For the latter she has pushed for healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants and has attempted to get UC to create a new medical school in Kern County.

Since the beginning of the year, Bains has also been seen as the likely next challenger against Valadao for Congress. While she has made some moves towards running, she banked her decision around Valadao’s decision in supporting Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, pulling for him to vote against Medicare cuts. However, when Valadao instead supported the bill, Bains made up her mind, leading to her announcement on Wednesday.

With Bains now in as the main Democratic candidate, she faces an uphill battle. While she hopes to gain traction with her stances on healthcare and being against Trump policies, much of the district remains solidly red, as Salas found out after redistricting in 2024. In addition, Valadao remains popular in the district, with his stances on water issues in 2024 helping him get his largest winning percentage in years.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Valadao campaign has yet to respond to Bains’ announcement.